Rebuilding Our Schools: Management of the New York City Board of Education Division of School Buildings' Repair Program.

Tumolillo, Allan

Outlining New York City's Division of School Buildings (DSB) Maintenance Program, this report makes recommendations on funding, management reform, and coordination among the various Board of Education divisions. It includes detailed analysis of the board's expenditures for school maintenance. The report updates the 1978 Educational Priorities Panel study through interviews with top DSB officials and analysis of Board of Education documents. The report points out that many schools are in desperate shape as a result of years of neglect, due to the city's fiscal crisis and the aging of the schools. The recommendations include a proposed $20 million increase in the school maintenance budget for 1985, and a $15 million a year increase for the next 4 years. These increases are linked to management savings in custodial and maintenance costs, which include: improved procedures for setting priorities and for worker allocation at maintenance shops, computerization of paperwork, streamlining of contract procedures and tightening supervision of contractors, and increasing the repair responsibility of custodians. The appendixes include 62 tables of statistical data, excerpts from 2 reports, and a three-page bibliography. (MD)